The Fifth Expert Working Group for the Preservation of the Site will meet to evaluate the works implemented in Bamiyan during 2006, and to identify future priority actions for the conservation of the site, based upon the recommendations of the previous Expert Working group, which was held in Kabul, Afghanistan (December 2005).

The seven working sessions’ main topics for discussion will include:

Conservation of mural paintings;

Emergency consolidation of the Great Buddha niches and cliffs;

Conservation and documentation of the fragments of the Grand Buddha statues

Archaeological investigations;

Long-term conservation planning for Bamiyan;

Targets and benchmarks for the state of conservation;

Training professionals and heritage awareness-raising.

At the end of the meeting, recommendations will be drawn up on all aspects of the preservation of the Bamiyan site.